He lives in you
by kristaa-kid
Summary: The story of Rainwhisker, the forgotten, and an alternate of his life… What if he’d have lived it differently before he died? Maybe this would’ve happened. R&R pleeeease!


**It begins in the period between Sunset and TPOT, which I assume is about 7-8 moons, just after Whitewing got her warrior name. It's just a one-shot, but I may write some more. It's quite long because I wanted to get it all done together. It's lots of flashes of their lives after he's gone, up until when they finally reach happiness after losing him. Read and remember to review! **

A ginger and white cat was laid in the hollow, sat beside a white cat. "I'm so proud of Whitewing," She purred. "Finally a warrior!"

The white cat nodded. "Yes." He remarked.

She glanced at him uneasily. With a sigh, she murmured, "Perhaps I should go talk to her."

"Maybe." The white cat replied.

With a sinking feeling of regret, she pushed away her vole and mewed quietly, "I've lost my appetite. I'll see you later, Cloudtail."

"Oh… okay." He meowed, glancing confusedly at Brightheart. "I'll see if Daisy wants the vole. Hazelkit is almost as big as her now!" Playfully, he pawed the vole around like a kit, only to look up and see Brightheart gone, her scent mixed with unhappiness and fear.

"What _are _you doing, Cloudtail?" Asked a familiar, amused voice. It was Whitewing.

"Oh… er… nothing."

"Where's Brightheart?" Whitewing asked curiously. She could smell her, just not see her.

"Erm, I don't know. I'm, erm, waiting for her."

"Oh." The white she-cat shrugged and sat down beside her father, and began washing a forepaw gently.

"Hey, Whitewing! Wanna go hunting?" Asked a voice.

"Yes, Rainwhisker!" Purred Whitewing, dashing over to the grey tom, blinking her green eyes fondly. As she noticed Cloudtail glaring into her side, her ears twitched in embarrasment. "Let's go…" She murmured, taking a last glance back at her father, her eyes sparkling mischievously.

Cloudtail watched his daughter go, and decided to go and find Brightheart. Perhaps he could fix whatever he had done wrong.

"Brightheart!" He mewed, attempting to intertwine his tail with hers. "Have you seen Whitewing and Rainwhisker?"

"Of course I have." She snapped, backing away from him. "And if you paid any attention to your own family, you would've too." She turned round and threw a withering glance at a creamy-white she-cat, and her kits, sat outside the nursery. She stormed away, leaving a bewildered Daisy and Cloudtail.

He sighed, and padded warily over to the ex-loner. "I don't know what's got into her!" He mewed frumpily, flopping down beside Daisy, shooing away Hazelkit grumpily.

"Oh… I'm sorry… Me neither." Daisy looked away, pulling Mousekit towards her as he began to stray away. Her paws shuffled, obviously hiding something. Hiding her affection for Cloudtail, that he was blind toward.

-

"I… I love you, Whitewing."

Navy blue eyes bore into her pelt, blinking softly. Whitewing almost choked, but she caught her breath, her grassy-coloured eyes blinking in disbelief. In relief, that he felt the same. In _affection. _Purring in happiness, she intertwined her tail with Rainwhisker's and mewed, "I love you too, mousebrain."

-

"Mother?" Called a young, anxious voice. "Brightheart?"

The white-and-ginger cat hurried out of the den entrance, and mewed, "What is it, Whitewing?" A knowing glint sparked in her eyes, but she said nothing more.

"I… I think… And Leafpool says… I'm expecting kits!" Her eyes sparkled with nerves and hope.

"Oh! Very good," Smiled Brightheart, her mangled face seemingly beautiful with joy. "I'm so proud of you, Whitewing!"

-

Five kits suckled at her belly, her eyes shut.

"She looks so peaceful…" Murmured Rainwhisker, flicking his tail gently over the tiny grey tom who was an exact copy of himself.

Leafpool nodded, chokingly. "Yes. She's fine. They're all fine… erm, I'll… I'll go now." The medicine cat's eyes filled with an unreadable emotion as she dashed out of the den rapidly.

"Have you thought of names?" Asked Cloudtail, ignoring cousin, Leafpool. Him, Brightheart and Rainwhisker crouched beside Whitewing and the new kits. Across the way, the pregnant Ferncloud was suckling Jaykit, Hollykit and Lionkit, and admiring Whitewing's thankfully healthy litter. Brightheart flashed her a grateful glance.

The queen nodded. "That one is Dovekit." She lifted her head up, nodding toward the little she-cat. Her pelt was white with tabby patches on her paws and face.

Brightheart nodded. "How about… Robinkit, for the little light-brown one, with a white chest?" Rainwhisker smiled enthusiastically. "Perfect!" He replied.

"Hazelkit for the tabby." Cloudtail murmured, staring warmly at them. Brightheart threw him a withering glance. "Typical." She muttered. Cloudtail just looked bewildered.

"That leaves these two." Mewed Whitewing. One was light-grey, and one had a snowy white pelt with grey patches on its face and paws, like Dovekit, but grey instead of tabby.

"Echokit for the white-and-grey one?" Rainwhisker offered. She nodded.

As they all stared at the little grey kit, it gave a tiny squeak. Startled, Whitewing almost leapt up as the grey kit tumbled over the edge of the bedding and began squealing.

"Fallenkit!" Purred Brightheart in amusement.

-

"Fallenkit! Hazelkit! Bring the others. I've got a surprise for you!" Meowed Whitewing joyfully. "Today, you can taste a new -"

She broke off. Cloudtail was walking into camp, him and Brambleclaw carrying a grey, lifeless body.

"Rainwhisker?" She whispered, her throat hoarse. She dashed over, wailing in grief. Brightheart glanced nervously between her and the kits, before quickly ushering them back to the nursery. "Was that daddy?" Squeaked Hazelkit, his big eyes round with wonder.

"I don't know," Admitted Brightheart. "Hey, if you wait in the nursery, I'll bring you a rabbit. How's that?" Fallenkit nodded enthusiastically, running in yowling, "Hey! Robinkit! I want that moss!"

"No, I do!" Shrieked Hazelkit, scampering after his brother.

Brightheart's insides twisted with pity. How carefree the kits where - What an awful thing to burden them with. But out of curiosity, she dashed into the clearing, gasping at the sight of Rainwhisker.

His hind legs were crushed. Almost flat, almost floppy to the ground. He was twitching in pain, making tiny little breathing sounds, Whitewing wailing in upset, trying to comfort her mate. "Please hold on!" she whispered.

"Goodbye…" He breathed, sucking in air desperately. "I…" He gasped. "I love you!" With a great heave of effort, Rainwhisker fell to the ground, his head thumping to the ground with a thud.

"Oh, Whitewing!" Murmured Brightheart, and slunk over quickly. "I'm so sorry, Whitewing," She comforted her daughter, pressing her cheek against Whitewing.

Whitewing stared into thin air, at nothing. Heartbroken.

-

"Graystripe," The leader began. "You will mentor Hazelkit."

The ceremony had finally come. A few weeks earlier, Jaykit, Hollykit and Lionkit had become apprentices, and so, being only a _bit _younger than them, Whitewing's litter had reached six moons.

The formal ritual continued, each word uttered perfectly. Dustpelt mentored Dovekit, Sorreltail was given Robinkit, Spiderleg gained an apprentice in Fallenkit and Millie was trusted to take Echokit.

The moons rushed past, everything going smoothly. Hazelpaw and Dapplepaw of RiverClan became great friends, Dovepaw and Poppypaw became best friends, and so did Fallenpaw and Hollypaw. Echopaw turned out to be the best fighter, with Hollypaw, and Robinpaw was the fastest ever, according to her anyway!

-

"Dovepaw," Mewed a gentle voice. "Go sleep in your own den, or you'll catch her cold!" Leafpool stared into the white-and-tabby she-cats eyes.

"It's all fine," Purred Leafpool. "Trust me. Robinpaw's got enough catmint to last her a lifetime, thanks to you and Fallenpaw going to find it all. Get some proper rest."

"Okay…" Grumbled Dovepaw. She had been laid beside her sister most of the night.

-

"I was wrong." Commented a hollow voice. Dovepaw spun round to see Leafpool stood uncertainly behind her.

"You told me she'd be fine!" Hissed Dovepaw. Throwing the medicine an angry gaze, she padded away and joined her mother, Whitewing, by Robinpaw's unmoving body. "Why did StarClan have to take her?" Whispered Whitewing. "First Rainwhisker and now this…" Her voice choked with emotion. Dovepaw nuzzled her gently, feeling so helpless.

-

"Do you, Echopaw, promise to uphold the warrior code and be loyal to ThunderClan for as long as you live?" Firestar's voice rang out in the clearing, which was silent, with the long-awaited warrior ceremony of Whitewing's kits.

"I do." Echopaw promised.

"Then from now on you shall be known as Echoflight."

The young cat dipped his head, his long soft fur still patchy with grey. Most of his face was grey, but his eyes still sparkled with his mother's jade orbs.

"Hazelfoot! Fallencinder! Dovewing! Echoflight!" Called Whitewing, blinking proudly. "Can you see our kits, Rainwhisker?" She whispered, staring up at Silverpelt. A purr rumbled in her throat as the clan joined in with hailing their new names.

-

The four cats crouched in the entrance to the ThunderClan camp, sitting their warrior vigil. The moon had barely rose fully when the stars began to shape themselves into something different, swirling around and around.

"Oh, my!" Dovewing breathed, staring up at the sky. "Look!"

The three toms opened their eyes to glance up at Silverpelt. Three cats were etched into the sky, each glowing sordidly… Two dark grey, one light-brown with white splotches.

"Rainwhisker!" Purred Fallencinder. "And Sootfur - it must be Sootfur!"

"Look… Robinpaw found StarClan." Hazelfoot's usually battle-fierce voice was soft, and loving. Echoflight just stared up at his kin, choked with emotion.

_Throne of the ancestors_

_Oh, son of the nation_

_Oh, oh, iyo _

"So they really _do _care!" Dovewing rejoiced, a purr erupting from her throat. Painfully she knew they were breaking their vigil by speaking, but StarClan couldn't be angry with them if Rainwhisker, Sootfur and Robinpaw came to greet them!

_Hey, listen_

_Here is a lion and a tiger_

_Oh, oh, iyo_

"Wait!" Echoflight finally spoke. "Who's the tabby with white paws?" A new cat had joined them, her fur kittypet soft, a collar around her neck.

"Oh… my," Repeated Dovewing. "It must be Cloudtail's mother! We must tell him!" She jumped up, and turned to head towards the warrior den, but Fallencinder's tail flicked a barrier. "No…" He meowed. "Let's wait."

Reluctantly, Dovewing nodded, and carefully sat back down between her brothers.

_He lives in you_

_He lives in me_

_He watches over_

_Everything we see_

"I miss you, Rainwhisker, father!" Hazelfoot suddenly choked out. "I miss you coming into the nursery and giving us vole. Letting us play around. I miss the look in mother's eyes when she saw you coming."

"I miss you…" His voice trailed off, becoming hoarse.

_Into the water_

_Into the truth_

_In your reflection_

_He lives in you_

"But we love you!" Burst out Echoflight, half full of grief, half full of anger. "Why did you have to go?!" His voice betrayed his sadness, his confusion, his frustration. "Can't you stay now?" He added, a slight edge of hope. But Rainwhisker just stared down at his kin, his eyes blinking with pride and regret.

_There's no mountain too great_

_Hear my words and have faith_

_He lives in you_

Rainwhisker's reflection was becoming lighter and lighter, the stars trailing away into nothingness, Robinpaw, Sootfur and Cloudtail's mother disappearing. Dovewing let out a cry of grief, calling, "Come back!" But no silhouette returned. "He's gone." Whispered Fallencinder gently. "He's gone."

And the truth that their father was dead, the truth they had been struggling with for their whole lives, was finally verified. Rainwhisker wasn't just out on patrol, or sleeping in the den. He was dead. With StarClan. And the realisation had come… now.

_He lives in you_

_He lives in me_

_He watches over_

_Everything we see_

_Into the water_

_Into the truth_

_In your reflection_

_He lives in you._


End file.
